Letter 1019: How I would wish to neglect the duty of visitation more often, if the fault brings so sweet a reward — and knowingly...

Ennodius to Deuterius. How often I should wish to neglect the duty of paying a visit, if fault granted a sweet reward, and how willingly and knowingly I should wish to disregard the command of the heavenly precept, if things that ought to be avenged secured an abundance for my desires! To me alone it has befallen that something I rejoice in came about from the merit of an offense: I have now learned, by such recompense, to pursue my errors. The things I bring forth, forced into the open, are not, most excellent teacher, opposed to the religion of friendships. On the contrary, on account of a confession worthy of my resolve, I have never, like an ingrate, wished the doubtful state of your health: nay rather, so far as it lay in me, I set the hands of my prayers against the inequalities pressing hard upon you. But behold how vigorous your perception is: your page, though not founded upon the sound health of your limbs, shows it, the page in which you have shone with both lights. Are your eyes, I ask, dulled by the cloud of grief, you whose songs are so bright, and you who speak of light, do you plead your own failing vision? How I fear that I may be found a stingy praiser of your merits! To you it is rightly ascribed to give eyes to all and to make the dark places of minds shine with a foreign splendor. Do you then suppose that what you bestow has no strength for yourself? Drive out, I ask, from your mind the cares conceived perhaps by superfluous anxiety or caution. God will grant that whatever bodily discomfort has come upon you may be cleansed, in place of your soul, by the brightness of a soul glowing red through clear weather.

XVIIII. DEVTERIO ENNODIVS. Quam uelim saepe officium uisitationis omittere, si dulcem tribuit culpa mercedem, et caelestis mandati sententiam sciens prudensque neglegere, si desideriis copiam uindicanda conciliant! mihi uni contigit de offensionis merito euenisse quod gaudeam: didici nunc tali remuneratione errata sectari. non 1 imminentia LTV 3 aquilaa ex aliquas corr. L 4 lumine TlVl corr. m. 1 quoo B tonicis BLV oxsunntur B 5 parare BLPTV, ponere b (cf. Cartn. II150 us. 8 non aliter — doctrinae radiis opponit onra parentis); fort . probare (cf . schoi. in mg. T: nota qualiter aquile pulloa BUOB probent) 7 impietas LTV 8 de fetibQs] defectibuB T 9 genetrix BP 10 oepta PT, coepita LVl prosequere Pb 13 de T s. l. m. 2 pauiscas B 14 scalpentS T 15 turbidum in turpidum L corr. m. rec . 16 uale. T mi BPaTV b, mihi LVl, michi P1 XVIIII. 21 uellim aepe B 22 celesti T mandatis B 25 remuratidne V sunt aduersa, doctor optime, amicitiarum religioni quae profero coactus in medium. immo propter confessionem dignam proposito ualitudinis tuae dubia numquam uelut ingratus optaui: quin etiam, quantum in me fuit, contra ingruentes tibi inaequalitates precum manus opposui. sed ecce quam alacer sensus est, non in prospera membrorum salute fundata ostendit pagina, in qua utraque luce fulsisti. tua, quaeso, lumina nube doloris hebetantur, cuius tam clara sunt carmina, et qui lucem loqueris, de uisione causaris? quam timeo, ne parcus in meritis tuis laudator inueniar. tibi recte adscribitur cunctis dare oculos et obscura mentium peregrino splendore radiare. ergo putas tibi ualidum non esse quod tribuis? pelle, quaeso, animo curas superflua forsitan sollicitudine aut cautione conceptas. dabit deus, ut quicquid corporalis accessit incommodi uice animae tuae per sudum rutilantis nitore mundetur.